Wow. As a mother, or just a parent in general, you end up subjecting yourself to many new and different things. There's the longer and messier dinner times. There is the extra laundry each week. There are the routines and schedules that need to be kept so that naptime doesn't come too soon or too late and your child doesn't start acting like something off the Exorcist. And then.....there's giving up your tv. That one hurts sometimes. Let me explain.
Before kids, you could record whatever you wanted. You could rent whatever you wanted. You could go at any given time, sit down in front of the tv on a toy-free couch, and curl up with a good movie. You could pause it to go answer the phone and not only would it be on the same channel when you came back, but it would still be paused! Oh, the freedoms you had! HAD.
But with two kids, it's slightly different. And by slightly, I mean it's nothing like it was before. Now, I don't let them watch tv all day. And I don't let them watch for long periods of time. There are times that we will all watch something together. And there are times that they will sit down and watch something of their own. So what is the problem, you ask? Let us dive in deeper here.
Before kids, there were movies that made you laugh. There were heart warming movies that brought home a moral that just made you so glad to be alive. There were horror movies that scared the skidoodles out of you. Now? There are about 235,601 animated creations. Ok, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a little bit, but it feels like that many plus some.
Take for instance, today....I had to get up earlier than normal to watch some "Mommy" tv which did not include any furry or fuzzy characters dancing around telling me that there was infact, a party in my tummy or that everyone goes to the potty. I got to watch a movie with no commercials wanting to sell me Bend-a-roos, Moon Sand or other crafty little gimmicks. I got to enjoy for 1.5 hours, total euphoria from a movie that did not teach me to be kind to my friends, that dancing is fun, or that running with scissors is dangerous. It...was....bliss....
But, that was then and this is now. As I type, I have two mini-me's running around the living room, each doing their own thing, but listening to one of their morning shows. I think today, we're being taught Mandarin Chinese courtesy of Kai-lan. Xie Xie Ni, Kai-lan...(Thank you, Kai-lan) oh, how you've brightened my day.
Now, they look like they're not paying attention to the tv. Gracie is reading and Jackson is coloring. And at the same time, they'll talk to each other...allbeit, it's, "Hey stop that.", "Hey, I had that first.", "Hey, Mom why are you pulling your hair out?" But you touch that remote just once...you hit pause or OMGoodness, you turn it off.....you have committed a carnal sin. So, ok we'll learn some Mandarin Chinese. Then the tv goes off for a while and we spend time doing things together for a few hours.
After lunch, we can watch another program of their choice. So they look at the taped DVR shows and discuss (this one....NO....this one....NO) and they give me the gift of Yo Gabba Gabba. Now...for those who are unfamiliar with the goodness that is Yo Gabba Gabba, you are missing out (on headaches and eye rolling). This is the show that lets me know there is a party in my tummy, that we don't bite our friends (awww, man...I was really looking forward to taking a chunk out of Samantha when I saw her next) and don't eat food that falls to the ground because apparently the germs will talk to you and tell you that they're dirty.
The characters alone on here should frighten my children, but they think they're great. You have a red alien type one eyed creature who looks like he has a bad bumpy skin condition. His name is Muno. There is a big pink flower blob named Foofa. You then have a short green furry striped monster type creature whose arms are longer than they should be. His name is Brobee. As if all this wasn't enough, oh there's more. There is a blue creature that looks part cat, part fox and part squirrel named Toodee. And last, but certainly not least, there is Plex, the magical yellow robot. Put this all together and add the creepy host, DJ Lance Rock, who is dressed in a very form fitting orange jump suit complete with what looks like a furry Q-tip looking orange hat...and you have the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba and a show that my 2 year old barely moves during. Scared yet? Me too.
So to sum up my little blogvel (blog that starts off as a blog and ends as a novel), enjoy your tv time while you can. Soak up those documentaries, those comedy shows and the do-it-yourself marathons...because one day....you too.....will enter the world of Yo Gabba Gabba and you won't be able to say No Thankya Thankya....because you'll be stuck...stuck I say! And not a thing to do about it.
Now if you'll excuse me...it's dancey dance time.
Before kids, you could record whatever you wanted. You could rent whatever you wanted. You could go at any given time, sit down in front of the tv on a toy-free couch, and curl up with a good movie. You could pause it to go answer the phone and not only would it be on the same channel when you came back, but it would still be paused! Oh, the freedoms you had! HAD.
But with two kids, it's slightly different. And by slightly, I mean it's nothing like it was before. Now, I don't let them watch tv all day. And I don't let them watch for long periods of time. There are times that we will all watch something together. And there are times that they will sit down and watch something of their own. So what is the problem, you ask? Let us dive in deeper here.
Before kids, there were movies that made you laugh. There were heart warming movies that brought home a moral that just made you so glad to be alive. There were horror movies that scared the skidoodles out of you. Now? There are about 235,601 animated creations. Ok, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a little bit, but it feels like that many plus some.
Take for instance, today....I had to get up earlier than normal to watch some "Mommy" tv which did not include any furry or fuzzy characters dancing around telling me that there was infact, a party in my tummy or that everyone goes to the potty. I got to watch a movie with no commercials wanting to sell me Bend-a-roos, Moon Sand or other crafty little gimmicks. I got to enjoy for 1.5 hours, total euphoria from a movie that did not teach me to be kind to my friends, that dancing is fun, or that running with scissors is dangerous. It...was....bliss....
But, that was then and this is now. As I type, I have two mini-me's running around the living room, each doing their own thing, but listening to one of their morning shows. I think today, we're being taught Mandarin Chinese courtesy of Kai-lan. Xie Xie Ni, Kai-lan...(Thank you, Kai-lan) oh, how you've brightened my day.
Now, they look like they're not paying attention to the tv. Gracie is reading and Jackson is coloring. And at the same time, they'll talk to each other...allbeit, it's, "Hey stop that.", "Hey, I had that first.", "Hey, Mom why are you pulling your hair out?" But you touch that remote just once...you hit pause or OMGoodness, you turn it off.....you have committed a carnal sin. So, ok we'll learn some Mandarin Chinese. Then the tv goes off for a while and we spend time doing things together for a few hours.
After lunch, we can watch another program of their choice. So they look at the taped DVR shows and discuss (this one....NO....this one....NO) and they give me the gift of Yo Gabba Gabba. Now...for those who are unfamiliar with the goodness that is Yo Gabba Gabba, you are missing out (on headaches and eye rolling). This is the show that lets me know there is a party in my tummy, that we don't bite our friends (awww, man...I was really looking forward to taking a chunk out of Samantha when I saw her next) and don't eat food that falls to the ground because apparently the germs will talk to you and tell you that they're dirty.
The characters alone on here should frighten my children, but they think they're great. You have a red alien type one eyed creature who looks like he has a bad bumpy skin condition. His name is Muno. There is a big pink flower blob named Foofa. You then have a short green furry striped monster type creature whose arms are longer than they should be. His name is Brobee. As if all this wasn't enough, oh there's more. There is a blue creature that looks part cat, part fox and part squirrel named Toodee. And last, but certainly not least, there is Plex, the magical yellow robot. Put this all together and add the creepy host, DJ Lance Rock, who is dressed in a very form fitting orange jump suit complete with what looks like a furry Q-tip looking orange hat...and you have the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba and a show that my 2 year old barely moves during. Scared yet? Me too.
So to sum up my little blogvel (blog that starts off as a blog and ends as a novel), enjoy your tv time while you can. Soak up those documentaries, those comedy shows and the do-it-yourself marathons...because one day....you too.....will enter the world of Yo Gabba Gabba and you won't be able to say No Thankya Thankya....because you'll be stuck...stuck I say! And not a thing to do about it.
Now if you'll excuse me...it's dancey dance time.
i know just what you mean, melissa. thank goodness for the dvr. i've never been subjected to yo gabba gabba, but we have a steady tv diet of all word world all the time - at least the show is really clever and cute. what really devastates me is not being able to listen to good music in the car. i have a really cranky toddler unless a kidz bop cd is playing. that is a real tragedy. but i guess i will take avril lavigne backed by a bunch of kids over a screaming 2 year old.
ReplyDeleteDon't stop writing.....you have many "gifts"!
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